Lexis Arcana — the secret words. Every English word carries Latin beneath it. Open a new tab and discover the ancient roots hiding inside the language you already speak.
How it works
Classic Latin phrases from Roman literature, law, and philosophy — with English translations. Wisdom that has endured for millennia.
450+ Latin roots across 16 categories. See the meaning, the English words that grew from it, and the hidden connections between words you use every day.
Mix it up. Each new tab randomly picks a proverb or a root word, so you're always encountering something new.
Test your arcane knowledge. Latin-to-English and English-to-Latin prompts. A weighted algorithm surfaces items you've seen least.
The language beneath the language
J.R.R. Tolkien was an Oxford philologist who drew deeply on Latin when creating Quenya and the languages of Middle-earth. He called his love of inventing languages "a secret vice." Lexis Arcana's 450+ roots cover the vocabulary of a classical scholar — organized into 16 thematic categories that mirror the great themes of literature.
Latin is the invisible architecture of English. Over 60% of English words have Latin roots. Lexis Arcana surfaces these hidden connections — the deeper language you already know but never noticed.
Everything you need
Search by Latin text or English meaning simultaneously.
Use #nature or #conflict to search
by category. Matched text is highlighted in results.
A full, browseable catalog of every proverb and root word. Filter by type, category, or favorites. Sort by any column. Your personal grimoire of Latin knowledge.
Every root is tagged with thematic categories — nature, conflict, power, light, and more. Filter from the popup to focus your learning on the themes that interest you.
Heart any proverb or root from the new tab or the Compendium. Favorites sync across devices via browser storage.
Change a setting in the popup and it takes effect on any open new tab instantly — no reload required.
Reveal the English words derived from each Latin root — see the ancient language alive in everyday English.
See it in action
"Repetitio est mater studiorum"
Repetition is the mother of learning
Free forever. No account required. Just open a new tab and let the hidden roots of English reveal themselves.
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